'Melo drained, Chandler also hurt

Two Knicks dealing with knee issues

After weeks of playing through the soreness in his right knee, Carmelo Anthony finally underwent a corrective procedure Thursday, flying back to New York and having fluid drained to reduce the swelling.

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By Steve Popper

recordonline.com

By Steve Popper

Posted Mar. 15, 2013 at 2:00 AM

By Steve Popper
Posted Mar. 15, 2013 at 2:00 AM

» Social News

After weeks of playing through the soreness in his right knee, Carmelo Anthony finally underwent a corrective procedure Thursday, flying back to New York and having fluid drained to reduce the swelling.

According to the Knicks, Anthony met with doctors in New York and had a soft-tissue fluid collection of his posterior right knee aspirated. While no timetable was set for his return to action, Anthony is planning on flying to Los Angeles to meet the team and is listed as questionable for Sunday afternoon's game against the Clippers.

The Knicks were without Anthony and also missing center Tyson Chandler on Thursday as they faced the Portland Trail Blazers. Chandler suffered a left knee contusion Wednesday in the Knicks' loss at Denver, and like Anthony, is listed as questionable for Sunday. The starting lineup Thursday included Kenyon Martin, Chris Copeland and Kurt Thomas on the front line.

Anthony sat out three games after leaving the Knicks' win in Cleveland on March 4 after just 14 minutes, 15 seconds. He tumbled to the floor that night, got up and walked straight to the locker room. He said later the knee had been bothering him for three weeks and that he had already undergone an MRI, which revealed no structural damage.

But the swelling and soreness persisted and Anthony tried to play through the pain, logging 34 minutes at Golden State on Monday, including entering the game again with 9:18 remaining and the Knicks down 20. He again tried to play Wednesday in Denver, but struggled badly, converting just 3 of 12 shots in 21 minutes (and 7-of-27 over the two-game comeback).

He called time out in the third quarter and while the team huddled, he spoke briefly to trainer Roger Hinds and headed to the locker room to shut down for the night.

It raised the question of just why he was allowed to play at all, given that the condition was still a problem and that he likely was facing the prospect having the knee drained. Speaking on ESPN Radio in his weekly spot, Knicks coach Mike Woodson defended the decision with a curious argument.

"I'm going to listen to my players; he told me he could play and we accommodated him by playing," Woodson said. "It's my job to (make the final decision), but it's also my job to trust my players and believe in my players to the point where I trust their judgment, as well."